Evener mechanism



Oct. 20, 1925- 1,558,188 F. D. LANGEVIN ET AL mvmmn MECHANISM Filed Feb. 25. 192'4 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 20 1925- 1,558,188

F. D. LANGEVIN ET AL EVBNER MECHANISM Filed Feb. 25. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Get. 20, 1925.

UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

FELIX D. LANGEVIN AND RDEERT S. CUBLEY, OF LOVIELL, MASSACHUSETTS, AS-

SIGNOBS TO SACO-LOVJT LL SHOPS, 01" BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CQRPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

EVENER IdECHANISll/L Application filed February 25, 192Av To (HZ whom it may concern:

, Be it known that we, Fit-LIX D. LANonvIN and Ronnnr S. Conner. citizens of the llnited States, and both residing at Lowell, in the county of lVliddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Evener Mechanisms, of

which the following is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indi- 19 eating like parts in the several figures.

Textile machines of various kinds, and par ticularly such machines as pickers, intermediate lappers, and the like, include a feeding mechanism which is equipped with an evener designed to so vary the feed of the cotton, or other material being handled. that the finished lap or sheet issuing from the machine will. be uniform in thickness or weight. The most common form of evener includes a driving mechanism comprising; two cone pulleys, oppositely arranged, with means for adjusting a belt on said pulleys to var Y the speed of the parts driven by said mechanism. Such a mechanism offers considerable resistance to the adjustment of the belt, and it is one of the objects of the present invention to devise a driving mechanism applicable to evener motions, or other mechanisms where similar conditions exist, which will overcome this objection. It is also an object of the invention to improve mechanisms of this type with a view to reducing their expense of manufacture.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the up pended claims.

" Referring now to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a mechanism embodying the present invention, some of the parts being shown broken away; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical, cross-sectional view, partly in elevation of the mechanisni shown in Fig. 1.

The construction shown in the drawings comprises a driving or power shaft 2 carrying a drum 3 which drives a belt 4. This belt runs over a guide drum 5, a takeup drum 6, and a cone pulley 7. The guide drum 5 and the pulley 7 are both supported in stationary bearings carried by the bracket Serial No. 694,837.

8, Fig. 2, and they are mounted above the drum 3 and on substantially the same level with each other, the takeup drum 6 engaging the belt at a point between the guide drum and the cone pulley. The takeup drum is supported by a swing frame 10 which is pivoted at 12,'Fig. 2, and this drum either is made of sutlicient weight to enable it to perform its takeup operations properly, or the necessary weight is applied to the swing frame 10 by means of weights 14-14.

The cone pulley 7 is driven, the two drums 5 and 6 simply revolving idly, and the cone is mounted fast on a shaft 15 carrying a worm 16 which drives a worm wheel 17. This worm wheel operates through intermediate gearing to drive an evener roll 18 and feed rolls 19 and 20. A feed belt or apron 21, Fig. 2. delivers the cotton, or other material being treated by the mechanism, to the evener roll. The speed of the evener roll and feed rolls depends upon the speed of rotation of the cone pulley 7. and, consequently, if the power shaft 2 is driven at a constant speed, the rate of rotation of the cone pulley 7 will depend upon the position of the belt i on this pulley. This belt is shifted backward and forward automatically by a feeler mechanism which may be of a type commonly used in machines of this character. As shown, this mechanism comprises a gate consisting of a series of independent pivoted sections 22v Bearing on each section is a short strut or rod 23, and these rods support a series of saddles 24 which are connected with a master saddle 25. Another rod or strut 26 bears centrally on the latter saddle and supports a lever 27 having a long arm to which a vertical rod 28 is adjustably connected. Secured to the lower end of this rod is a rack 30 meshing with a pinion 31 fast on a rock shaft 32. A segment gear 33 is secured to this rock shaft and meshes with a toothed portion 34 of a belt shipping rod 35, the rod being slotted to receive the belt 4. All of this apparatus, except the driving mechanism, is old and well known in this art.

During operation, the gate sections 22 are raised or lowered as thicker or th'inneri wads of cotton pass between them and the evener roll 18. The movements of the gates are averaged by the saddle mechanism so that when a greater total quantity of cotton passes over the evener roll, the lever 27 will be raised, thus operating through the connections just described to shift the belt 4 on to a larger part of the cone 7. This decreases the rate of rotation of the feed rolls 19 and 20. If the quantity of cotton passing between the evener rolls and the gate is reduced, the lever 27 will drop, thus operating through the connections with the belt shipper to move the belt on to a smaller parts of the cone 7 and thereby increase the speed of the feed rolls. The automatic adjustment of the speed of the feed rolls, threfore, tends to compensate for changes in the quantity of cotton passing between the evener rool 18 and the gate 22.

Vi e have found that a driving mechanism of the character above described operates" more delicately and accurately than the mechanisms heretofore employed for this purpose, the resistance to the adjustment of the belt being substantially reduced. This mechanism is also cheaper to manufacture, both because only one cone is employed, and also because the cone which is used in this mechanism can be a straight cone instead of having the peculiar contour which is necessary when two oppositely arranged cone pulleys are employed. The weighted drum or takeup drum 6 operates automatically to maintain a substantially constant tension on the belt notwithstanding changes in the adjustment of this belt longitudially of the cone pulley. That is, this drum automatically takes up slack in the belt when the belt is moved toward the small end of the pulley, and gives slack to the belt when it is moved in the opposite direction.

Having thus described our invention, what we desire to claim as new is:

1. In an evener motion, the combination of a drum, a cone pulley, a belt connecting said drum and pulley and operative to drive one of said parts from the other. means for adjusting said belt longitudinally of said cone pulley, a weighted drum bearing on said belt, and means for supporting said weighted drum for movement to cause it to maintain a substantially constant tension on said belt notwithstanding changes in position of said belt on said pulley.

2. In an evener motion, the combination of a drum, a cone pulley, a belt connecting said drum and pulley and operative to drive one of said parts from the other, means for adjusting said belt longitudinally of said cone pulley, a guide drum for said belt, a weighted drum bearing on said belt between said guide drum and said cone pulley, and means supporting said weighted drum for movement to cause it to automatically keep the slack in said belt.

3. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a driving drum, a cone pulley. a belt connecting said drum and cone pulley, means for adjusting said belt longitudinally of said cone pulley, a guide drum for said belt, a takeup drum bearing on said belt, and supporting means for said talzeup drum enabling it to mainain a substantially constant tension on said belt notwithstanding changes in position of said belt on said pulley.

l. In a mechanism of the character described. the combination of a driving drum, a cone pulley. a belt connecting said drum and cone pulley, means for adjusting said belt longitud nally of said cone pulley, a guide drum for said belt, a takeup drum bearing on said belt, and a swing frame supporting said takeup drum, said frame being weighted, whereby it causes said takeup drum to maintain a. substantially constant tension on said belt notwithstanding changes in the position of said belt on said cone pulley.

In a mechanism of the character described. the combination of a driving drum, a cone pulley located above said drum, a belt connecting said drum and pulley, means for adjusting said belt longitudinally of said cone pulley. a guide drum located on substantially toe same level as said cone pulley and closely adjacent thereto, a takeup drum bearing on said belt between said pulley and sa l 'uide drum, and a swing frame suppoit. :1 said talzeup drum, said frame being weighted, whereby it causes said ta reup drum to maintain a substantially constant tension on the belt notwithstanding changes in the adjustment of said belt on said cone pulley.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our names to this specification.

FELIX D. LANGEVIN. ROBERT S. CURLEY. 

